Coming off of its scandal surrounding the lack of inclusivity in nominations and membership, the embattled Hollywood Foreign Press Association has a lot to prove with the Golden Globes comeback show. Nominations for the 80th Annual Golden Globes were announced Monday morning, and it appears that he HFPA is avoiding controversy by playing it safe. There are no real surprises here, as the noms follow in the footsteps of other major critics’ awards and best of the year lists. Unfortunately, the group seemed to miss some of the Black names on all those critics’ lists. There’s a lot to talk about, so let’s start with the good news.
Television
Abbott Elementary continues its domination by leading all TV nominees with five. The show is up for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy, while creator/writer/star Quinta Brunson received a nod for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy. Emmy-winner Sheryl Lee Ralph will vie for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical-Comedy or Drama Television Series alongside co-star Janelle James, and Tyler James Williams faces strong competition for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical/Comedy or Drama Television Series.
Zendaya’s work as Rue in Euphoria is once again getting award recognition with a nod for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama, and in one of our favorite stories of awards season, Niecy Nash-Betts is receiving well-deserved flowers for her standout role in Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, with a nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television. Rounding out the Black representation in the TV categories is Donald Glover for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy for Atlanta.
Yep, that’s all the Black nominees in the major TV categories. Nothing for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power or breakout star Ismael Cruz Córdova, a series that seems tailor-made for the Globes. Award winner Giancarlo Esposito wasn’t shown any love for the final season of Better Call Saul and most egregious of all, Samuel L. Jackson, co-star Dominique Fishback and their brilliant limited series, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, were all shut out. I understand that there’s an endless amount of amazing TV to choose from and not everything can be recognized, but these are some major misses by the HFPA.
Motion Picture
On the movie side, I’m shocked at the lack of love for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Yes, I know it’s a Marvel movie and those usually don’t get nominated for Picture or Director, but Ryan Coogler deserves recognition for the beautiful work he did under unprecedented circumstances. In fact, Till, The Woman King, and Wakanda Forever, the three most acclaimed Black movies of the year, were all shut out of the Best Motion Picture categories.
As for the acting awards, as excited as I am to see Viola Davis receive a nod for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama for The Woman King, it’s still disappointing that none of her warrior sisters are in the running for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture. Though we do have our Queen of Wakanda, Angela Bassett to root for in that category, notable names Janelle Monáe for Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery and Gabrielle Union for The Inspection are nowhere to be found. Only one Black actor is nominated, as Union’s co-star, Jeremy Pope, finds himself in star-studded company for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama.
Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much from the Golden Globes, but I was hoping for more for films like The Inspection, Till and The Woman King. Frankly, not nominating Danielle Deadwyler for Till feels criminally out of touch. At least the HFPA did get it right by giving a Best Original Song nod to Tems, Ludwig Göransson, Rihanna and Ryan Coogler for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s “Lift Me Up.”
Of course, the real question is will anyone show up to collect their trophies, as it’s still up in the air on whether Hollywood is ready to welcome the Golden Globes back to the big time.
Jerrod Carmichael hosts the 80th Annual Golden Globes, airing Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on NBC and Peacock.